Richard James Bond, Lakeland
Member Since July 2009
Artist Statement My Inspiration comes from life and painting itself; God and my relationship with God; Native American and Pre-Columbian Art; Mexican Muralists; German Expressionism; and Shona Stone Sculpture.
Biography:
While growing up on the Pacific Coast, Richard j. Bond had gained an interest in Pre-Columbian art and Mexican Muralists. He later traveled to Florida, where he attended Florida Southern College majoring in Art. During his last semester, he took a class taught by Amos Supuni, a Shona Stone Sculptor from Zimbabwe. After Graduation, Richard joined Amos and his family in Africa, where Richard became his student. As Amos Supuni’s student, he learned about the technique of stone sculpture and most importantly, he learned about the Shona Culture. In the past seven years, he has been living and teaching Art throughout Lakeland’s community, to include New Jerusalem Christian Academy, Florida Dance Theatre, the Polk Museum of Art, and Lakeland Housing Authority where Richard was teaching in their outreach programs, and private art lessons. In the past four years, Richard has been exhibiting his work in Lakeland, Orlando, Tampa, and Corvallis, Oregon. He is currently starting, Lady of Corn arts, a studio and gallery.
Artist Statement:
As a small child I could not speak because of a handicap. It was not until I was about four that I started to speak. I lived in a silent world, and in that world I observed everything. Because of that experience I became a visual person and turned to art to communicate my thoughts.
Ten years ago I received a box of Yarka Sepia pastels for Christmas. I was still in college trying to find my way as an Artist. My interest at this time was Mayan art, the Mexican Muralist, History, and written languages. I wanted to merge all of them into one style that represented me as a person and an Artist. So that year I started my Brown Drawings. With these drawings I played with the ideas of symbolism, movement, evolution, conflict, and the spiritual world. The next following year I was blessed to visit my first Exhibition of Shona Stone Sculpture. A couple of years later I would travel to Zimbabwe and study under my friend Amos Supuni. This would affect my Brown Drawings in a way that I would never imagine. Culture would come into play. In my earlier Brown Drawings I was looking in from the outside. I didn’t know what my culture was or if I knew I didn’t know how to include it in my art. From the time of my travels to now I have found my culture through art. Most viewers relate my art to other cultures because of the figures, color, and symbolism that is found in my art. The only relation of my art to non-western cultures is through the influence that my friends and family from these cultures have on me. My Brown Drawings have transformed into Paintings of Brilliant Colors and Extraordinary Expression representing my life and spiritual journey. Thank you.
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